| The grassy area on either side of my driveway is infested with crickets(hundreds). The crickets are very small and haven't seemed to grow in size. What type of crickets are they and what's the best way to get rid of them? |
| I can't tell without looking at the crickets but the most common in Missouri are field crickets, ground crickets and Mormon crickets. There is an organic product available called Semaspore Organic Grasshopper Control which contains Nosema. This single celled protozoan infects all stages of developing grasshoppers, mole crickets, Mormon and black field crickets. Nosema, when ingested, creates a disease that is specific to these pests. It will not harm any other living species. Grasshoppers and crickets typically lay eggs in Southern exposure locations in hilly, sandy soil. As they hatch they will begin to travel to their food source (your garden). Head them off by applying Nosema in swaths as a barrier about 1 foot wide, or by generally broadcasting product in and around the area to be protected. Grasshoppers and crickets will begin to feed on the spore-infected bran and immediately stop feeding and become sick. They will die either from the disease or will be cannibalized by other hoppers. Nosema works best when applied to younger stages of hoppers. |
